Highways and county roads are in OK shape, but problems with electrical outages are 'widespread'

Courtesy of Matthew Van DykA scene from Texas Township this morning after the ice storm.

KALAMAZOO COUNTY — A Kalamazoo County dispatcher said there haven't been reports of slide-offs or crashes on Interstate 94 or U.S. 131 this morning as a result of the ice storm.

"We're busy with trees and wires and everything else," the dispatcher said.

In Kalamazoo County, most of the roads are clear, and the road commission is out plowing and salting, said Lt. Paul Baker, the the county's emergency management director at the sheriff's office.

While there hasn't been any serious damage or injuries reported from the winter storm, the down branches and power lines are causing headaches. The "widespread" electrical outages across the county could take time to be repaired, Baker said.

"We have a lot of power outages. It's
really sporadic throughout the whole county," Baker said. "We could have a two or three day power outage easily until we get things squared away. It's just going to be slow."

Baker said people who were concerned about being without heat and wanted help should call the 211 hotline.